Plastic helmet



G. A. LYON PLASTIC HELMET Dec. 29, 1953 Filed Oct. 26, 1951 E7175 Tflfzr I' Georg Aiberz Lyozz ZLZHZE Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLASTIC HELMET George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 26, 1951, Serial No. 253,278 I 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-1735) The present invention relates to head gear and more particularly to a plastic helmet especially adapted for use in summer and tropical weather.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved helmet which has the same general characteristics as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 37,995 filed July 10, 1948, now Patent No. 2,632,173, dated March 24, 1953, but wherein adjustable strap means is included for varying the size of the crown of the helmet so as to conform it to the head of the wearer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple head gear which can be economically moulded or pressed from synthetic plastic material and which, if made of a white plastic. will be cooler to wear than a conventional cloth helmet.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a helmet with reinforcing ribs which can flex relative to each other in response to the tightening of an adjustable strap extending around the crown of the helmet.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a helmet including a crown and a brim and wherein the curved junction of these two parts are reinforced by radial ribs extending from the brim up into the crown of the helmet.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided a head gear including a crown and a brim which may be formed of synthetic plastic material and which have spaced resilient ribs extending radially in the crown and alternating with depressions in the crown; there also being provided an adjustable band extending through the ribs and depressions around the crown above the brim and adjustable to vary the size of the crown to conform with the head of the wearer.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a single embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the helmet;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through the helmet; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on substantially the line III-III of Fig. 2 looking upwardly.

As shown on the drawings:

The helmet of my invention comprises a circular crown Ill and an integral circular brim II terminating in an outer beaded reinforcing edge I 2. The junction of the crown I and brim II is curved and reinforced by a plurality .of radial spaced ribs I3, the lower extremities of which terminate in the brim and the upper extremities of which terminate in the upper part of the crown I0. These ribs I3 alternate with radial depressions I5 and are also provided with aligned slots I6 through which an adjustable strap I! can extend. The strap I! may be provided with any tightening means such, for example, as a suitable conventional buckle structure I8.

It will be perceived from Fig. 3 that the strap extends around the oval crown Ill and is disposed directly above the brim II (Fig. 2). The strap extends inside the ribs I3 through the slots I6 and on the outer side of the crown at the depressions I5.

I preferably make the helmet, with the exception of the strap, of a one-piece form and out of formed or moulded synthetic plastic. Excellent results may be obtained by using a suitable con ventional resilient thermoplastic material such.-

for example, as the Vinylite acetates, etc.

Now from the foregoing it is clear that by reason of the radial ribs I3 extending through the junction of the crown and brim, the helmet is substantially reinforced at that area and yet is provided with sufficient resiliency due to the flexible characteristics of the ribs so that the size of the crown can be slightly changed by adjusting the strap I! which may be made of any suitable material such, for example, as leather or the like. In this manner the helmet can be readily adjusted to fit the head of the wearer and can accommodate slight variations in the shape and size of the head of the wearer. Moreover, the ribs provide for ventilation in that they permit air to circulate around the head of the wearer into the crown ID of the helmet. If it is so desired, the helmet may be provided, as is customary, with a depressed button 20 at its peak.

I have also observed that if the helmet is made of a white synthetic plastic material, it will maintain the head of the wearer much cooler than if the helmet is made of a colored material.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a head gear including a crown and a brim radiating from a curving juncture with the crown, said crown and brim being formed in one piece from synthetic plastic material, the crown having peripherally spaced inset areas for contact with a wearers head, and having spaced ribs offset outwardly from the inset areas of said crown and radiating toward the brim and extending curvilinearly at their lower end portions across said juncture and merging with the underside of the brim, said ribs being of greater peripheral extent than the inset areas of said crown therebetween and being hollow to provide broad air ducts between adjacent inset areas, said ribs having broad generally arcuate outer surfaces defining a generally oval contour for the head gear, and an adjustable band extending transversely through said ribs and depressions around said crown above said brim and gjdjustible 59 vary the sizeand shape of V the crown to conform the same to the head of the wearer.

, 2. As an article of manufacture, a head gear including a crown and a brim radiating from a curving juncture with the crown, said crown and brim being formed in one piece from synthetic plastic material, the crown haying perigherallyv spaced inset areas for contact with a wearers head, and having spaced ribs ofiset outwardly from the inset areas of said crown and radiating awa e h i ial dv s ld ea n lr at their lower end portio s ec qsslsa d j nct re d 4 merging with the underside of the brim, said ribs being of greater peripheral extent than the inset areas of said crown therebetweeiland being hollow to provide broad air ducts between adjacent inset areas, said ribs having broad generally arcuate outer surfaces defining a generally oval contour for the head gear, and an adjustable band extending transversely through said ribs and depressions around said crown above said brim and adjustable to vary the size and shape of the crown to conform the same to the head of the wearer, said ribs providing broad interior recesses accommodating the buckle of said band at the interior of the crown.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

References Giteii in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Riebold Apr. 27, 1937 Number Lyon June 19, 1951'. 

